I have a soft spot for South-East Asian cuisine, but whilst both Chinese and Thai restaurants tend to be distinctly different in the dishes they have on offer, some Vietnamese restaurants seem to blend in seamlessly with their Chinese counterparts. Having said that, it’s only recently that all Asian restaurants have really latched onto the fact that marketing their cuisine as coming from a particular region within that country sets them apart from the rest. Fortunately, the Eastern Tree does it’s Vietnamese roots proud and provides an authentic meal without me having to venture into the badlands of North London. 

The interior doesn’t seem as though it’s fully converted from it’s previous incarnation as a pub, but the wicker screens and photos of Ho chi Minh & Saigon on the walls certainly ensure you know where you’re at. The menu is pretty comprehensive, which is almost always a good thing, unless you are suffering from the hangover munchies and you want to eat everything on the menu, right now. With 8 people round the table, I managed to restrain myself on the grounds they’d be ample opportunity to sample a number of the dishes on offer.

Starters consisted of summer rolls, king prawn spring rolls, beef wraps plus the rather innovative lemongrass chicken which was minced chicken formed around lemon grass stalks, which I particularly liked. All the starters were good, though.

When the  mains arrived I thought we’d need another table, there were so many dishes, which is a situation I’m never likely to complain about! The Beef with pickled vegetables I ordered was excellent, as were the spicy crispy prawns & squid. The Pho looked as though it was a large enough portion to feed a family, although Mr A managed to finish it off without too much trouble, so it obviously went down well. I can’t actually remember all the dishes we did order, having killed too many brain cells the night before, but everyone was happy and most definitely full up to the brim.

Instead of dessert, I opted for a Durian smoothie, which I was surprised they were able (it’s not the easiest fruit to get hold of in the UK) and happy to do (it’s one of the stinkiest foods in the world).  The smell of the smoothie hit the table first and Miss R was particularly offended, although having something which smells like a mixture of off cheese and sweaty gym kit is never likely to go down too well. The flavour was much more subtle, sort of custardy, although the smell definitely didn’t enhance the taste.

I can think of many worse places to have a relaxing, long lunch on a Sunday and although the service was more enthusiastic than efficient, the food was excellent and good value for money. I’ll definitely be back, in order to work my way through the rest of the comprehensive menu!